Cake-gate

I work in an office environment, in a team of around 20. Before the Easter weekend, I was chatting in the staff room on a break about how I've recently really got into baking, and one of my colleagues jokingly said that she wouldn't mind if I bought some cake to work for her to try. I promised I'd bring some home made cakes in after Easter.

Fast forward to today. I take in four different homemade cakes. I also took in some little vegan cake bites from Tesco, as we have 2 vegans in the office and I wanted them to be able to eat something nice too (everything I baked had flour/eggs in)

One of the vegans approached me at lunch, and told me that she was really disappointed that I hadn't made the effort to home bake anything vegan, and that I had promised homemade cakes, so I should have provided that for everyone. She said she didn't like the vegan cakes I'd bought from Tesco, and that she was fed up with being left out of team lunches/treats.

I was a bit taken aback, so apologised. But the more I think about it, the more I think she was actually the unreasonable one...

What a CF! I'd just bring in normal cakes and not bother trying to accommodate her. Or make a slightly smaller one for her and smear it with beef dripping or something. I am a cold hearted meat eating bitch though.

She was totally unreasonable. And ungrateful. Did she also expect you to have made some some gluten free, or maybe some sugar free for the diabetics... what about protein bars for people who don't eat carbs? Nonsense.

But you didn't leave her out. You wen tout of your way to ensure there was a treat for her ungrateful bitch.... I eat an almost vegan diet mainly, occasional dairy.. I am not a vegan, I just like how I feel on an almost vegan diet), if that. Makes sense. And I had a similar situation in work once. I was very grateful the lady who baked whent out of her way to get me something too....she didn't have to do that she knows I am not a vegan for any other reason only I just enjoy the diet..

FFS she needs to get over herself. If you have special dietary needs you won’t always be catered for. That’s just how it goes! Doubly so when you consider that she doesn’t NEED to eat vegan - it’s a CHOICE. Unlike an actual food allergy. I’m allergic to eggs so I wouldn’t be able to partake of cake that someone brought in, and I’d be grateful if they brought me anything at all because I wouldn’t expect it.

I think if you’d made one cake, she’d be unreasonable to be aggrieved. But to make 4 different ones but none of them suitable for your two vegan colleagues does seem a little unkind. Homemade cakes and shop bought are not really comparable, are they?

That was my thought process... I felt like I had included her, but she said I hadn't as I had said that I would bring in homemade cakes, and she was really looking forward to home made cake rather than "a shitty half-stale afterthought from Tesco"

Firstly, I don't know how to make a cake without butter and eggs, and secondly, I never promised to make vegan friendly cakes - it never crossed my mind at the time of the conversation with the other colleague. It was whilst I was buying the ingredients that I remembered the vegans, and I scoured ingredient lists for ages to find something that they could enjoy too. I felt quite insulted.

Wow.She was rude.You were incredibly thoughtful to get something for her.It is a lifestyle choice she has made, knowing it is going to mean her missing out on treats a lot of the time. You could have (quite reasonably) "just" offered your home made goodies to those who chose to try them, but you were very generous and went out of your way, and out of your own pocket to go and get her a treat too, and she still complained.

I made a banana loaf, Victoria sponge, French apple cake and a lemon drizzle. It wasn't deliberate that none of them are vegan, the recipes I use call for eggs and butter. I know you can get dairy free butter, but how do you substitute eggs?! I've never made a vegan friendly cake before, and knowing my luck it'd probably go horribly wrong!

Your colleague is a jerk. When you bring something just for fun (not something paid by work) it is nice to take everyone in consideration but not a necessity. Next them just bring a piece of cake to yourself.

What a rude person! I have allergies which mean I can very rarely eat anything brought in. If someone does make the effort to bring something I can eat I'm always grateful! Otherwise I don't say anything.

She is just very very rude. You were thoughtful enough to bring something for her after all, you didn't have to do that.

It sounds as if she wanted your offerings to be all vegan so she could join in with everyone else.

Fuck them, take no more in future.

I do like the way people think you were being unkind, recently got into baking doesn't mean a flair for all 'food pain in the arses immediately'. I wouldn't bother in future, there will always be one who whinges

Firstly, I don't know how to make a cake without butter and eggsWhy should you have to make the effort to learn how to bake vegan cakes? Investing time and money and chucking numerous failed cakes in the bin. Bringing something to share doesn’t mean you’re responsible for making sure it meets everyone’s dietary requirements. And I say that as someone with a food allergy who invariably gets left out when “normal” food is shared around.

The other vegan colleague was really chuffed that I'd brought something in that she could eat. It was just the other one who was clearly very pissed off with me, making me wonder whether I was actually in the wrong. Happy to see that the general consensus is that I wasn't.

That would be it for cakes I brought in. 'Would love to but tbh, X got really offended I didn't bring in specifically vegan homemade cake. My budget just doesn't extend to particular catering requirements so no more cakes, all.'